Tips from the expert
It is officially British summertime, which means it is more important than ever to be aware of solar damage. Daylight protection is important no matter what your skin tone and it should be worn at all times. Remember, when sitting at your office desk, at home, or driving your car, you are still at risk of sun damage.
The cosmetic market is overrun with products, so finding the right sun care and knowing you are following the right regime can be a daunting task.
Here are my top tips!
Tips from the expert…
- Wear sunscreen everyday. Sun damage is the biggest cause of skin ageing, so wearing a daily SPF is vital. You especially need to consider a product with protection from UVA and UVB radiation. The simplest way of understanding ultraviolet radiation is that UVA ages you, while UVB causes skin reddening and sunburn, which plays a key role in skin cancer.
Invest in a mineral/physical (not chemical) sunscreen that is well formulated for daily use.
Don’t forget to re-apply sunscreen every 2 hours when outside – some of the brush on SPF powders are great for this – colorscience is one of my favourites.
- Don’t neglect your hands. Remember to moisturise regularly and try to use a hand cream containing SPF, as sunspots on the hands can be very ageing.
- Simplify your regime, but make sure you use an antioxidant serum after cleansing and before moisturising. Serums tend to be more concentrated but are light and therefore feel good on the skin during warmer summer days. Depending on how dry your skin is, you may find you only need serum followed by SPF, and can stop using a separate mosituriser in the summer months. Antioxidants are vital for protecting skin in that they are the internal defense against free radical damage from the sun, pollution and other environmental factors. Look for serums containing vitamin C niacinamide in particular. I formulated the Skin W1 Collagen Stimulating Serum to be an all round serum for all skin types and all ages -it’s got my wish list of ingredients in it and there isn’t anything else quite like it on the market!
- Try a light enzyme based skin peel once/twice a month during the summer. This will prevent build up, help minimise the appearance of pores (which have a tendency to become more prominent in warmer weather) and keep your skin texture and tone smooth. Light peels done correctly are safe and effective during the summer, although SPF should be worn daily post treatment.
- To bring down redness that has come up after being in the sun, apply a facecloth that has been soaked in ice-cold water. Try to avoid extremes of temperature as much as possible as this can contribute to dilated/broken capillaries and chronic facial redness.
